


Jongho has Big Brother Energy

by emberanne



Series: To the nights that turned into mornings, and the friends who turned into family [5]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, New Years Resolutions, gym rat! jongho, lowkey hyung-like! jongho, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22384369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emberanne/pseuds/emberanne
Summary: Choi Jongho took care of people.It was in his nature to do so. After all, he was the oldest child of his family and he had just enough siblings to make them a constant responsibility. Between the insane hours his parents worked and the family's lack of extra money, Jongho had been left in charge of his siblings the minute he was old enough to. He had been forced to grow up fast.The only thing he had any regrets about was never having someone to take care of him. He thinks he'd like it, just a bit.Then Jongho met Yeosang. Yeosang didn't necessarily take care of Jongho, but their friendship was the first Jongho had where they kind of took care of each other.
Relationships: Choi Jongho & Kang Yeosang, Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang
Series: To the nights that turned into mornings, and the friends who turned into family [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1586962
Comments: 5
Kudos: 184





	Jongho has Big Brother Energy

Choi Jongho took care of people. 

It was in his nature to do so. After all, he was the oldest child of his family and he had just enough siblings to make them a constant responsibility. Between the insane hours his parents worked and the family's lack of extra money, Jongho had been left in charge of his siblings the minute he was old enough to.

He walked his siblings to school, picked them up after clubs, and made dinner when they got home. He learned how to braid his sister's hair, how to edit his brother's essays. He learned how to cook and clean and do laundry and straighten everyone's outfits before they went to school. 

He got his first job when he was 14, washing dishes at an izakaya until it closed three years later. His next job was at the convenience store near the university, where he worked five nights a week from 8 pm to 1 am (since his brother was finally old enough to watch after the house in his stead). He still worked there now. 

There was a point where Jongho thought he would work for the rest of his life and never go to university. That he'd be helping out at home for the rest of his life. When his parents sat him down, tears in their eyes, and told him that they wanted him to pursue his dreams by attending university, he cried. 

The fact that he was able to go to university was a miracle. Sure, he still lived at home instead of in the dorms. He still worked crazy nighttime hours to help at the house, still woke his siblings up to go to school in the morning. He still spent more time taking care of people than having people take care of him. 

It didn't matter, he was at university. He had a fraction more freedom than he had before. He had actual friends. 

Admittedly, even if he jokingly called Yunho and Mingi his parents, the two were chaotic enough that they all knew that Jongho was the responsible one. Even San relied on Jongho in a weird way (where the way was setting up an organization system for San's dozens of tea boxes). 

He couldn't help it! It was natural for him to straighten shirts when they got wrinkled, adjust ties before interviews, and wipe faces clear of lingering traces of food.

The first time he did the latter, it was to Mingi in the middle of lunch and he'd frozen in fear and embarrassment, stuttering out an explanation. God bless the others for being so chill and only teasing him about it a little. Yunho had cheerfully shouted, "Jungho has big brother energy!"

San perhaps understood the most, telling him that his sister had been the same for him after his grandparents had passed. 

"It's only natural that you're used to taking care of other people," San told him with a kind smile. "You grew up too fast."

That much was true. Jongho had grown up way too fast, a fact he didn't fully realize until San told him so. Still, he couldn't find it in him to be mad or bitter about it. What's done is done. Jongho knew he was the person that he is today because of it and he liked the person he is today, so there wasn't much issue.

Besides, the others were slowly but surely teaching him how to have fun and let go of his responsibilities a little. He was making up for the lost time. 

The only thing he had any regrets about was never having someone to take care of him. He thinks he'd like it, just a bit. 

Then Jongho met Yeosang. 

Yeosang, who was just as shy as Jongho and had a fiery personality that made Jongho smile. 

Yeosang, who took care of Jongho and helped with him his computer science class. 

Yeosang, who let Jongho text him absurd things at random hours and vent about his sibling's stupid choices and counseled him when he needed it. 

Yeosang, who's friendship Jongho valued so damn much. 

Jongho wasn't blind, he knew Yeosang was ridiculously attractive, it had just never occurred to him to act on it. He'd never had time for crushes or dating before, he still didn't have time for those things, so he didn't realize that he liked Yeosang until Yunho spelled it out for him after constantly texting Yeosang for a week. 

He wasn't totally sure what to do with the knowledge of his crush. He had absolutely no idea how to flirt and he was pretty sure one of the reasons Yeosang liked talking to Jongho was because Jongho didn't flirt, so Jongho just kept being friendly. That was all he really knew how to do. 

He and Yeosang texted daily over the winter break, Jongho promising to buy the other an entire fried chicken as a thank you for the near-perfect grade Jongho receives on his final project in computer science. 

_ yes to the chicken. also do u want to go to the gym w/ me? new year new me and all that resolution shit _

Yeosang knows that Jongho is a gym rat, he has to. Jongho goes to the gym every day and does kickboxing twice a week with Gunhak, a senior who works at the gym. Jongho's workouts are intense, he doesn't like to half-ass things. 

_ as long as you can keep up ;) _

Yeosang's following expletives make Jongho laugh so hard he chokes on his dinner. 

Jongho knows that Yeosang's uncomfortable the second he sees the elder waiting for him outside of the school gym. 

He can see it in the way that Yeosang's right-hand clasps onto his left wrist, fingers drumming on his wrist irregularly. 

Sees it in the way Yeosang looks down, or up, or around, in an almost methodical pattern, without ever making eye contact with someone. 

Sees it in Yeosang's hunched shoulders and narrow stance. 

Jongho knows that Yeosang doesn't like to talk to people, he just didn't know it was this bad. 

Then Jongho sees the girls. 

There's only three or four of them, giggling together in a small huddle on the other side of the entrance. They're staring at Yeosang. 

Jongho's not an idiot, he can connect the dots. The girls are checking Yeosang out and Yeosang isn't comfortable with it. One of them even calls out to him and Yeosang only flinches for a second. It's enough. 

"Yeosang!" Jongho shouts (which he normally would never do because he's not an outgoing person) and jogs towards him. "Hey! Sorry I'm late!" 

Yeosang looks super relieved, taking a few steps towards Jongho and meeting him in the bro-hug that Jongho offers. 

"It's fine," Yeosang says, although the way he seems to collapse in Jongho's arms says otherwise. 

"Still, I'm sorry," Jongho says, throwing his arm around Yeosang's shoulder as he leads them towards the entrance. He raises his voice slightly, "No one bothered you, right?" 

Yeosang looks at Jongho, clearly a little shocked, and shakes his head a little. 

"That's good," Jongho walks him past the girls. "I'd probably have to beat them up if they did." 

By the time they're inside, the girls have scattered. 

"You didn't have to do that," Yeosang scowls once they're past the front desk and dropping their bags off in the locker room. "That was way overboard." 

"They were making you uncomfortable," Jongho says simply. He shuts his locker and heads to the door to the weight and treadmill room. "I did have to do that." 

Yeosang drops the matter and if Jongho didn't know better, he'd say that Yeosang was blushing. 

Once they start working out, Jongho figures out three things about Yeosang.

The first thing that Jongho figures out about Yeosang is that he's ridiculously speedy. His endurance isn't the best, but he's one hell of a sprinter. 

"Did you do track or something?" Jongho asks, both of them breathing hard from the three km run. 

"Yeah," Yeosang breathes, hands behind his head as they walk it off. "I won regionals for the 400m." 

Yeosang grins at Jongho's flabbergasted look. "What's next?"

The second thing Jongho learns is that Yeosang has no upper body strength. It doesn't surprise him that much, since Yeosang's kind of a twig, but it still surprises him a little.

"Dude," Jongho tries not to laugh. "Your push-ups are terrible." 

"Yes and your bowl cut would look better if you parted it in the middle, but you don't see me saying anything," Yeosang snips. 

"It's not that bad!" Jongho protests, pouting slightly. 

"It kind of is," Yeosang says. Yeosang reaches forward and combs Jongho's semi-sweaty hair out of his face. "Now look." 

Jongho looks and fuck, Yeosang is totally right, his hair would look better if he just parted it a little. 

"Release the forehead," Yeosang teases. Jongho pushes his hand through his hair as he laughs, but the hair falls back into where Yeosang parted it. 

"Not that much forehead, you'll give someone a heart attack." 

"I'm not that ugly!" Jongho shouts, cheeks burning. 

"No, but you are that adorable." 

The third thing that Jongho discovers is that Yeosang has some seriously impressive core and leg strength. Like, really impressive. 

"You don't even need to do squats, clearly your legs are fine," Jongho tells him. 

"They're about the only thing that gets any work," Yeosang admits, but still keeps squatting. Jongho keeps his arms by his side, he barely needs to spot Yeosang for this. 

"Why's that?" 

"My friend, Wooyoung, the one who came into the computer lab at the end when we first met?" (Jongho nods in affirmation, the blonde boy coming to his mind.)  "He's the captain of this dance team and sometimes forces me to perform with them. Their stuff has a lot of leg and core work, so I guess I'm stronger in those areas." 

"Huh, that's cool," Jongho doesn't know what else to say. "I didn't know you danced."

"Most people don't," Yeosang shrugs the bar onto the weight rack and steps away, hands on his hips. 

"Did Hongjoong ask you to join his project? With the music recordings and the dancing?" Jongho asks, the frosty haired boy coming to mind. "If not, you should totally join." 

"He has," Yeosang laughs a little. 

"I don't know why he asked me," Jongho complains as they move towards the shower room. "I can't even dance."

"You'll pick it up easily," Yeosang assures him, patting his shoulder. "And I'm pretty sure you asked him because your voice is fucking insane." 

"It's literally not even that good," Jongho says. He tries to ignore the way his cheeks are heating up. 

"Shut up before I kick you," Yeosang threatens. Jongho jumps into a shower stall before Yeosang can make good on his threat. 

He showers quickly, just enough to get the sweat off of him. He'll take a proper shower after his shift at the convenience store. 

"Hey, Jongho," Jongho turns to face Yeosang, who seems to have had the same idea about showering, but also has a towel draped over the top of his head and is totally lacking a shirt.

"What's up?" Jongho really hopes he’s keeping a straight face.

"Just, thanks for coming to the gym with me," Yeosang smiles a little awkwardly. "And for the stuff before."

"Of course," Jongho assures. "I'm here for you." 

"You're a good person," Yeosang laughs, leaning forward and ruffling Jongho's hair. "Wanna grab dinner? I'll buy."

Jongho's heart skips happily. "Free food? Always." 

Yeosang turns away to finish changing and Jongho moves to grab his backpack from his locker. 

"Hey, Jongho!" Jongho turns to see Geonhak coming into the locker room from the staff closet. "Didn't see you here!"

"Hey Geonhak," Jongho grins, always happy to see the senior. 

"You free Friday evening? I got a mini-tournament with an open spot that has your name on it," Geonhak grins, waggling his eyebrows at Jongho. Friday is one of two days of the week where Jongho doesn't work at the convenience store. Normally, San or Yunho tries to drag him out to parties, but kickboxing in a mini-tournament sounds like a much better use of his time. 

"I'll be there," Jongho shakes his hand with a happy smile. He waves at Geonhak as the senior exits with a promise to text him with more details. 

"What was that about?" Yeosang asks, Jongho turning around to face him. 

"Oh, Geonhak's been teaching me to kickbox. Guess he thinks I'm good enough for one of his smaller tournaments now." 

"You kickbox?" Yeosang grins, dragging a towel through his wet hair. 

Jongho ignores the bead of water trailing down Yeosang's neck. "Yeah, at least twice a week." 

"You should teach me," Yeosang throws his towel at Jongho's face. (Jongho fails to catch it and gives a short, strangled yelp when it hits him.) 

"Yeah, yeah," Jongho grumbles. He throws their towels into the bin and moves to follow Yeosang out of the locker room. "Maybe next time. For now, you owe me a meal." 

**Author's Note:**

> Was this originally Jongho being part of an underground fight club w/ San that Yeosang found out about and then got a lil' mad about? Yes. Was that draft scrapped because it was completely unrealistic? Yes. Will I release it as a one-shot completely separate from this series? Also yes. 
> 
> Am I ultimately happier with this version? Yes. Jongho is honestly a person who just like, takes care of the people around him in small minute ways. Like how he's always fixing the other member's clothes when they're at fansigns and stuff, it makes my heart really warm. This isn't my favorite piece that I've written for this series (that's probably Seonghwa's piece), but I think it showcased both Jongho and Yeosang in the way that I wanted them to, so I'm happy with it. 
> 
> We have officially entered Act 2, Phase 2, whatever you want to call it! AKA the part where everyone gets together (except for Jongho/Yeosang, because honestly they're slow burn and I don't have time for that). I'm really excited for the next one. I have a good feeling about it.


End file.
